Illusions
by Stinger909XL
Summary: Follow several of our favourite characters as they try to free others from illusions set upon them by the enemy.
1. Chapter I

**Illusions:**

* * *

There I stood, staring her down, our eyes locked together. Neither of us moved a muscle, but we readied our weapons. I call out to her.

"Sister! Your views have been fogged by her illusions, they're all lies!" I shout, but my adversary shakes her head, and points at me calmly.

"No." She says, looking at the floor, shadow covering her face. "It is you who's views are clouded, _she_ would never dare steer me wrong." She tells me, and looks up at me slowly, her eyes glinting in the moonlight that poured through the windows. "You have always misguided me! Always, and you shall forever should I continue to follow you!" She bellows in response, and she charges at me. I bring my fists up again, and roll to my right as a volley of bullets soar past my head.

"Please. You don't understand, they'll destroy the kingdoms if you continue to believe in _her_." I reply to the angered girl, who growls at me.

"Don't speak to me!" She cries out, and vanishes only to appear on the other side of the room. I walk over to her slowly, looking at her carefully.

"Please Sis. You have to lis-!" I try to tell her, but she interrupts me mid-sentence by delivering a short punch to my gut.

"Shut **UP**!" She shouts and vanishes again, but this time a door flies open. "Aaagh!" I hear an enraged scream come from her in the next room, and I dash through the door. To my surprise, I see her curled up in a corner, hands over her ears like a child who doesn't want to listen. I can hear short choked sobs coming from her, and I kneel down next to her. "Who... Who are you?" She asks semi-consciously, and I chuckle quietly.

"It's me. Your sister. It's Yang." I tell her, and she begins to talk again before stopping herself. "Ruby... Ruby?" I ask her, but get no response. "Ruby?" I shake her, and hear a snore emanating from her. She mutters something inaudible, and shuffles, turning herself to face the wall. I laugh slightly, and stand up from the younger girl, looking down at her. I hear the thuds of soldiers coming from a room or two away, and I look up at the skylight in the ceiling, before checking my watch. Faintly, I hear someone shouting.

"I think she went this way." I listen, and I take another look at my watch. I pull down a small microphone headset, and I turn it on.

"Hey, uh... Blake, I could really do with that extraction right now, over." I whisper into it, as I hear the footsteps proceeding into a nearer room.

"_What was that Yang? Could you repeat, over?_" Blake replies, and I sigh as the footsteps come ever nearer to where I am standing.

"I said that I need that extraction now, I'm under the skylight, over." I tell her, and I wait for her confirmation.

"_Roger that Yang, I'm incoming to your co-ords in the Kestrel, over._" She answers, and I sigh with relief. I look around the room, and up at the skylight, waiting for the Kestrel to appear above me.

"Note to self. Buy a faster airship." I mutter, and then I hear the familiar humming of my personal airship. A ladder drops down, smashing through the skylight as planned, and I grab on. "Pull me up, Blake." I say, and the ladder starts to make it's way back up to the airship.

* * *

Once on-board, I walk to the cockpit to meet Blake. I push the door open, and she looks over her shoulder, and smiles at me.

"Hey Blakey. Ya miss me?" I ask cockily, a grin on my face as I take my seat next to her. I see her shake her head, but her face still holds a smile.

"If it makes you feel better, then sure, I missed you." She replies sarcastically, and our airship sped off from the building we had just been above. I laugh, and grin at her again.

"I knew you did." I say, and I see the mountain coming up. We slow down, and I see the hangar doors opening, and we head on in.

* * *

When climb out of the Kestrel, and I grin when I see another blonde walking towards us. He smiles at us, his arms held out wide. I bring him into a short, but crushing embrace, and I hear him let out a small squeak.

"Hey you two. Any news on 'em?" Jaune asks us, and Blake looks at me before I speak up.

"I didn't see Weiss, Pyrrha, or Sun. However, I did see Ruby, and I think I got through to her slightly. She suffered the average mental age regression before she fell unconscious, so the usual." I inform him, and he sighs.

"Damn, I really thought we get one of 'em back this time. And especially you and Ruby, so far, you've made the largest effect on her. I just... I really thought we get at least _one_ back this time." He said disappointedly, and I pat his shoulder.

"Hey. It's fine, we can always try again. There's no giving up, they can't keep believing in their illusions." I reply, and Jaune nods, smiling again. "Anyway, I'mma go get some rest, capiche?" I say, and both him and Blake nod. "OK. Night guys." I say, and head out of the hangar, to my bedroom.

* * *

Blake and I watch as Yang walks away, and the door closes slowly behind her. Blake looks at me, a grim smile on her face. I speak up, trying to spark a conversation with the quiet faunus.

"Do... Do _you_ think we'll ever get them back?" I ask her, and I hear her sigh.

"I don't know. I hope we do. It hasn't been the same since they left. But, at this moment, I don't know." She replies calmly, looking out of the hangar, at the city of Vale in the distance. "But I don't think that's the real question. I think the real question is, should we be _trying_ to get them back. We could just stop them." She says, still looking at Vale. I shrug.

"I dunno. I guess I just want my friends back again. _We_ want our friends back again, that's why we're trying." I answer, and stand next to her, looking down at Vale, and the remnants of Beacon Academy.

"We're trying to get our old lives back." She begins, and pauses. "When really, you can never have your old life. You can only have the life you have now. No matter how good or bad. That's what you have, and you should cherish it with all that you can." Blake says sadly, and she walks away. "Goodnight Jaune." She informs me bluntly, and leaves the hangar.

"Well. Goodnight." I reply as I watch her leave, and now I'm stood alone. I sit down, my legs dangling over the edge of the hangar. "Why'd they choose me to lead them. Why not Coco? Or maybe Sage. But no, the leader of the Vale Rebels has to be me, Jaune Arc." I mutter to myself. "If only Ruby were here. She'd know what to do. She was a good team leader. Or maybe Pyrrha. But, yet again, no. They had to been the ones who were taken by them." I say, and stand up from the edge. "Well. Time to sleep for me. I'm starting to talk myself." I mumble, and leave the hangar.

* * *

**Hey guys. This will be a story updated every week or so as I already have two different stories to update. But I always come up with different ideas, and I have to write them as they feel like they'll be a good one. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter of Illusions. Remember that Constructive Criticism is always useful, and keep moving forward!**

**Stinger out!**


	2. Chapter II

**Illusions Chapter II:**

* * *

**_Flashback Starts:_**

_I stood next to Pyrrha in the hangar, as she readies herself for her next infiltration. I look up at the airship, with Ren watching us from the pilot's cabin. He nods at me, and I smile back at him, but I then turn to look at Pyrrha._

_"Pyrrha. You have to be careful, we have no idea how many guards could be stationed there. It could be ten. Or it could be a few hundred." I tell her worriedly, and she sighs and laughs quietly._

_"Jaune." She replies calmly, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. "There's no need to worry, I'll be fine." She tries to comfort me, but I feel no better, and another wave of worry and fear flows through my body._

_"Yeah, that's what Sun said. And look at what happened to him." I answer grimly, staring out of the doors, down at Vale. Pyrrha sighs once again, and stares at me._

_"He... Underestimated what he was going up against. I won't make that mistake." She says, her voice now sounding different, colder, harsher._

_"But what i-." I begin to speak, but she interrupts me._

_"I'll. Be. Fine." She tells me bluntly, and I nod. Pyrrha smiles at me again, and boards the airship. I watch them as they leave the hangar, the airship making it's ascent._

_"I hope you will be, Pyrrha." I mutter to myself, and head to the control room._

**_Flashback Ends:_**

* * *

I wake up to the feeling of being shaken, I groan in response and turn over in my bedsheets. The shaking intensifies, and I sit straight up, ready to punch the person who is so willing to wake me early.

"Yang. Get up, now. Jaune's called all of us to the meeting room." The shaker, Blake, tells me. I jump out of bed, and dress myself quickly before heading to the meeting room with Blake. "Sorry we're late Jaune, someone here refused to wake up." Blake tells Jaune, who chuckles.

"Well, other than Coco and myself, you're here before anyone else. I kinda expected it though, with a meeting in the early morning an' all." Jaune replies, a small smile on his face.

"So..." I ask awkwardly. "Why'd you call us here?" I finish, and he looks at Coco with a strange look.

"I'll wait till the other's are here." He answers calmly, and the door behind us slides open to reveal the blue-haired Neptune.

"Sup." He greets us bluntly, giving us a short wave as he takes a seat. "So, what's this all about?" He questions, but receives no answer. "OK. I guess I'll wait." He says after the silent response from all of us. It only takes a few minutes for all the Rebels to turn up to the meeting room, and Jaune began to speak.

"Hello everyone. I'm extremely glad you all could make it here on such short notice, especially this early in the day." Jaune says, and I let out a tired yawn. "So... I bet you're all wondering why I called you here. Coco, take it away." Jaune finishes, and now Coco, his second-in-command, steps forward.

"As you all know. Our numbers have dwindled over the few years we have been fighting, not that we had many in the first place." Coco tells us, and I nod slowly. "And as you know, a few of us have been... Convinced... by their illusions. So, Jaune and I have came up with an idea. We have selected who we consider to be the best of us for this mission. Jaune, if you would kindly read out the list." Coco finishes, and steps back again, re-revealing Jaune,

"OK. We're going to have two teams. Each one will take a different airship. Team one will be comprised of Blake Belladonna, Yang Xiao Long, Neptune Vasilias and myself, and we will take the Kestrel. And Team two will be comprised of Lie Ren, Nora Valkyrie, Velvet Scarlatina and Fox Alistair, who will be riding in the Harrier Airship. That's all, Team one, please follow me to the Kestrel's hangar. Ren, take them to the Harrier." Jaune says, and we head our separate ways to the different hangars, and the rest of the Rebels disperse, going back to their beds.

* * *

We walk into the hangar, and head over to the Kestrel, but Jaune stops us at it's entrance. He smiles sadly at us, and looks up at our airship.

"OK guys, here's the plan. We're going to head back to where you two." He says, pointing suddenly at Blake and I. "Came back from yesterday. We've seen concentrated activity coming from that area, so we hope it's their base of operations. We're going to leave the Kestrel a couple of kilometres outside the area, and we're all going to infiltrate the compound." He tells us, and we look at each other.

"So, uh... What are we trying to do?" Neptune asked, looking at Jaune with a raised eyebrow, and Jaune smiled grimly.

"After infiltrating a dozen times before, _every_ time we have seen at least one of our friends. After we infiltrate we are going to search for any documents on the controlled, and hope to find a way of reversing it. Also, anyone who knew them well enough seems to do have more effect on them. We then leave the compound, and return to the Kestrel, job done. And hopefully we'll have some documents to go with us. Are you clear?" He tells us, and we all nod. "Good, then let's get going." He says, and we board the Kestrel.

* * *

**Hey. Here we go, Chapter Two of Illusions, which I hope you enjoyed. Anyway, remember that Reviews are welcomed, Constructive Criticism is always useful, and keep moving forward!**

**Stinger out!**


	3. Chapter III

**Illusions Chapter III:**

* * *

Ruby stood with the three others around a table, looking at each other. Next to the red-clad girl, Weiss spoke up.

"So, why'd you call us here?" The white haired girl questioned, and Ruby placed her hands on the table.

"As you know, I just got back from a meeting." Ruby said, and got three nods in return. "We're not gonna stay here much longer." She said, looking at the others.

"So we're moving HQs?" Pyrrha questioned, and Ruby nodded.

"That is what I got from the meeting, yes." The dark haired girl replied, and Sun chuckled.

"Fine by me. I was bored of this place anyway." Sun laughed, his arms crossed. "Well, let's get going then." The blonde faunus boy finished, and Ruby nodded.

"Yes. Let's move." Ruby told them, and the four left the room.

* * *

I look out of the Kestrel, down at the city of Vale below us as we flew over the city. Someone placed their hand on my shoulder, and I turned around to see Yang standing behind me. She smiles at me, but I can't do it back, and I turn back to the window.

"Hey. It'll be OK. We know what gets through to them now." Yang comforts me, but I know that it isn't working. "Come on. Cheer up, we need you at your best. We can't lose you to them, as well." Yang finishes, and I nod.

"Yeah... Yeah, I know." I reply, brushing my blonde hair back. "But... I'm just scared that they'll get one of us. We can't risk that." I say, and Yang grins.

"That one will be _you_ if you don't concentrate." Yang says, poking me in the chest. I feel the Kestrel come to a stop, and I start to walk to the front of the airship.

"You're starting to sound like Pyrrha." I tell her, and she bursts into laughter.

"We have to make sure you return from this, you know. You _are_ our leader." Yang replies, looking at me with comfort. I sigh, open the cockpit and stand next to our pilot, Blake.

"Come on Blake. You're coming to, remember." I tell her calmly, and she nods. Blake stands from her seat, and looks over at Yang and I.

"Right." She says. "Let's move." Blake pushes past us, out of the cockpit.

"What's up with her?" Yang asks me, and I shrug. "Alright. Well, let's get going then." Yang says, and she too leaves the cockpit.

* * *

The four of us dropped from the Kestrel, landing silently in the city. Next to me, I see Blake unsheathe Gambol Shroud, and walk over to me. Jaune speaks up from my right.

"OK Yang. Take us to it." He says to me, and I nod. We begin to walk down the city roads, keeping to the cover of shadows. We stop once we notice a White Fang patrol. "Yang, you probably know what to do." Jaune says, and I shake my head.

"I've never come across a patrol before. Usually smooth sailing from the airship to the building." I reply, my eyes narrowed as I look at the three soldiers walking up and down past the entrance. "Blake, you think you could get 'em?" I ask, and she sighs, and disappeared around the building. I hear several groans and snaps, before Blake reappears in front of us.

"They're down." She tells me bluntly, and I laugh quietly before speaking up.

"OK." I turn to face Jaune and Neptune. "Let's move on." I finish, and we start to head up the road.

* * *

I can see the building now, and I look up at it. The building stands high above the others, being the tallest building in the city. I turn and look at the other three, who are stood behind me.

"Alright. This is it." I say, pointing to the tall building. "There are three, maybe four, entrances to this thing." I tell them, and they nod, and I see Blake smile slightly. "We're on the North side, so we could go in through the North. But, as you can see, it's quite well guarded." I say, pointing at the building again, now lower down. "Or we could go in through the south, but that's even more heavily guarded. _So_..." I start, and smile at them maniacally. "We're going in through the windows. But, we're not going from the ground. We climbing _that_ building there." I tell them, showing them another building next to it. "So come on. We need to get in, I've not done this before, it'll be fun." I say, and run over to the building.

* * *

**Heeey, Chapter 3. I hope you enjoyed it. And remember that Constructive Criticism is always useful, Reviews are welcomed, and keep moving forward!**

**Stinger out!**


	4. Chapter IV

**Illusions Chapter IV:**

* * *

I take a long run up, and look at the window, with a grin on my face. The other three follow my lead, and we dash along towards it, and jump as we reach the building's edge. I listen to the wind as we soar through the air, and then we crash through the glass, into the building in front of us. I roll to my feet, and the others stand up behind me.

"OK. We go in pairs, search the entire building for them. We want them as uninjured as you possibly can." Jaune says, looking around slowly. I nod, and Jaune smiles. "Alright. Come on. Neptune, let's move." The blonde says, and the two of them jog away.

"Well Blake, let's get going then." I say nervously, rubbing the back of my head. She sighs, and jogs ahead of me, and I follow her.

* * *

Yang and I are leant against a wall, and I'm listening to a conversation coming from the room next to us. Yang looks at me, about to speak, but I hush her.

"Shush." I say, and Yang closes her mouth. "I'm listening." I tell her, and I listen over to the conversation.

_"What should we do. They're in the building now. They know we're here."_ A male voice says, and instantly know who it is.

_"I've told you already, Sun. We're moving out soon anyway. We won't even _be_ here much longer_." I hear Ruby reply, and grimace at the sound of her voice. Yang notices the look, and speaks up.

"What is it?" She asks, and I sigh.

"It's Sun... And Ruby..." I tell her, and I see her eyes light up. "No. Yang. We're not fighting two of them. We all know what they're capable of. And _they're _not going to relent on the killing side of things." I tell her, and she sighs as, from the other room, a door slams shut.

"Well. They're gone now, so I'm going in there to see if they left anything." She tells, and I sigh.

"I guess I'll go look for Jaune and Neptune then. They seem to be roaming in pairs." I say, and walk away as Yang enters the room.

* * *

I walk into the room, and take look around the vast and empty space, readying my weapons. Hearing the small and soft thuds of my enemy's footsteps, I turn to face them. I grimace as I look at the small woman, who's long brown-pink hair flaps gently in the wind. The woman smiles at me, and gives me a quick wink.

_**"Hello Yang."**_ She says in my head, I look at her angrily, and I can feel my heart thumping in my chest.

"Neo..." I growl back, the anger showing through, and she raises an eyebrow at me.

_**"Is that really the way to greet a friend?"**_ She questions, and her eyes swap colours.

"We are not friends." I say back, and glare at her. "You helped me look for my mother, so I helped you in return. We were strictly _business partners_." I reply, and we look eye-to-eye.

_**"That time on the train, from a few years ago. I can see that it's bugging you now."**_ She says delightedly, a grin on her face as she stares me down. _**"And it's about you. I could have killed you. Even when that Raven woman turned up, and you know that."** _She tells me happily, a look glee on her face. I see her melt away, and quickly spin around to see her behind me. **_"But you want... No, need. You need to know why I didn't."_** She informs me, although I already know what she tells me.

"You're not exactly telling me anything new." I say, and hear a short sigh.

**"It's simple. It was all part of the plan. Leave you all alive, and turn you against each other later. That's my contract. And it's complete. Your team divided into two, one half fighting the other."** She laughs, and I swing at her, but she avoids the punch with ease. "**_But... But that wasn't enough, my contractor wanted more from me. They wanted me to break you." _** She grins at me, and disappears, and a hand places itself onto my shoulder.

"But you didn't." I say, and I hear her laugh from behind me, and the hand on my shoulder disappears.

**_"No, I didn't. Because you know better ways to get answers to all of my questions." _**She says, and her face holds a smug look. _**"Just like that night at Junior's Club."** _ She grins evilly, and I look at her.

"What do you mean." I say, growling at her again, and she laughs. "What do you mean!" I say again, grabbing at her, but she disappears.

**_"I've been watching you for awhile since we first met each other. I've seen many of the things you have done."_** She informs me, walking up to me slowly. I look down at her as she reaches me, and I see the smile on her face as she stands there. _**"All the chasing you have done since we parted ways. It put a slight strain on your relationships with your family members."** _Neo chuckles in front of me.

"What do you want from me, you freak." I ask angrily, leaning down so I'm her level. She takes a step back, a look of mock hurt on her face.

**_"Now, don't start with name calling. It's unprofessional." _** She jokes, and laughs slightly. _"I want you to come with me. I want help with all the _questions_ I have._"She notifies me, and I shake my head slowly.

"I'm not going anywhere with you. Last time I helped you, I almost landed in prison." I reply, and continue with my sentence. "And I'm not up for _contracts_ at the moment. A kingdom's under control of a terrorist organisation, who you've helped for the past years." I answer her, and she sighs.

**_"I did my job, it needed to be done."_** She replies neutrally, and looks at me. **_"I believe you have yours__." _**She gestures to the door, opening it and bowing as I walk through it, leaving her behind me. I sigh, and walk away from the room, resisting the temptation to go back in.

"I did my job..." I mutter to myself, repeating what she said as I walk. "It needed to be done..." I say, and see Blake, Jaune and Neptune stood in front of me. "Oh hey. We, uh... We going now?" I ask, and Jaune nods.

"Yes. We should. They either knew we were coming, or thought about sticking in pairs. Because we found Pyrrha and Weiss together. And Blake says you found Ruby and Sun?" He says, and I nod.

"Yep, that's what happened. Now let's go." I say, and we dash out of the building.

* * *

**And that's Chapter four, I hope you enjoyed it. Remember that Constructive Criticism is always useful, Reviews are welcomed, and keep moving forward!**

**Stinger out!**


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